Are There Fully Electric Motorcycles?

Are There Fully Electric Motorcycles?

Yes. Fully electric motorcycles are already being ridden on Australian roads.

Just like a fully electric car, an electric motorcycle uses a battery and electric motor instead of a petrol engine. There is no fuel tank to fill, no internal combustion engine and no exhaust emissions from the motorcycle itself.

Brands including Zero Motorcycles and Australia’s own Savic Motorcycles now offer full-sized electric motorcycles capable of everyday commuting, highway riding and high-performance road use. Zero currently offers several electric road and adventure motorcycles in Australia, while Savic designs, engineers and hand-builds its C-Series electric motorcycle in Melbourne.

How Does a Fully Electric Motorcycle Work?

At its simplest, an electric motorcycle replaces the petrol engine with three key elements: a battery, electric motor and motor controller.

The battery stores electrical energy. The controller determines how that energy is delivered, and the motor converts it into motion at the rear wheel. For the rider, this creates a noticeably different experience.

Electric motors can deliver torque almost immediately, so acceleration feels responsive from the moment you twist the throttle. Many electric motorcycles also eliminate conventional gears and a clutch, making stop-start city riding particularly simple.

Regenerative braking can capture some energy as the motorcycle slows and return it to the battery, while charging is handled by plugging the motorcycle into an electrical supply rather than visiting a petrol station.

Electric motorcycles are also available across increasingly different riding categories. You can now find lightweight urban bikes, off-road machines, adventure motorcycles and full-sized high-performance road bikes.

You plug your electric motorcycle in to charge - just like any other EV. The kind of charger and power outlet needed will vary by motorcycle make and model. For example, the Savic C-Series can be plugged in to any standard household power outlet, and charged using the charger cable that it comes with.

What Can You Expect From an Electric Motorcycle?

One of the biggest misconceptions about fully electric motorcycles is that they are simply low-powered commuter bikes. That depends entirely on the motorcycle.

At one end of the market are lightweight electric bikes designed primarily for shorter urban journeys. At the other are machines offering genuine motorcycle performance.

For example, the Savic C-Series has been developed as a high-performance road motorcycle, with instant electric torque (250nM), highway capability (top speed 180km/h) and over 220 km of estimated city range. It can be charged at home and requires no clutch or manual gear changes.

When researching an electric motorcycle, consider:

• Range: Will it comfortably cover your normal riding?
• Performance: Look beyond peak power and consider torque, acceleration and top speed.
• Charging: Where and how easily can you recharge it?
• Road legality: Is the exact model ADR compliant and registerable in Australia?
• Battery warranty: How is one of the most valuable components of the motorcycle protected?
• Build quality: Consider the frame, brakes, suspension, electronics and finish—not simply the powertrain.
• Aftersales support: Who will maintain and support the motorcycle once you own it?

Who Makes a High-Quality Electric Motorcycle?

There is no single measure that determines the “highest quality” electric motorbike. A premium electric motorcycle should combine a well-engineered powertrain with high-quality chassis components, braking, suspension, software, battery management, safety systems and manufacturing.

It is worth looking beyond headline range and acceleration figures. Ask who engineered the motorcycle, where it is built, what components are used, how thoroughly it has been tested and whether there is local support behind it.

That philosophy has guided the development of the Savic C-Series from the beginning. Savic Motorcycles started in 2016 with a young Australian engineer and an ambitious idea: to create a high-performance electric motorcycle in Australia.

The first rolling concept became a running C-Series prototype in 2018. By 2020, Savic was developing an increasingly sophisticated platform of proprietary components, and in 2022 the C-Series became fully road compliant and homologated for Australia.

Today, the C-Series is designed and engineered in Australia and built by hand at Savic's Melbourne headquarters. All software has been developed by the inhouse software engineers. Each motorcycle is made to order for its rider rather than rolling anonymously from a mass-production line.

Its engineering combines Savic-developed technology with premium motorcycle components including Bosch ABS, Pirelli tyres and Brembo brakes, while owners can select their preferred bodywork, paint, badging, seat and headlamp configuration.

It is proof that the fully electric motorcycle isn't something waiting somewhere in the future. It's already here. And one of them is being built in Melbourne.

Download the C-Series brochure to explore its engineering, technology, performance and customisation options.

👉 DOWNLOAD THE C-SERIES BROCHURE